Mat



Dec. 11 1923. 1,477,173

A. c. HAYDEN MAT Filed Oct. 31 1921 Fatented Dec. ll, 1923.

n i r s l,47?,1?3 FICE.

ARTHUR C. HAYDEN, 0F BBOGKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAT.

Application filed October 31, 1921. Serial 110.511,?99.

' may comprise laminated blocks or elements of leather or other suitablematerial which may be strung on rods or strong wires, de-

sirably with a disposition such that the blocks or elements present acheckerwork appearance. 7 i

In use it has been found that persons approaching a mat are sometimesliable to strike or catch their feet against the edge of the matandcause the margin thereof to curl or bend up somewhat away from thefloor. As a consequence, persons are liable to trip against the edge ofthe mat and receive serious injury.

The aim and purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to providesimple and efiicient means to prevent the edge of the mat from bendingor curling up from such cause.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference tothe following description of one good form thereof shown in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig.1 is a plan of a portion of a mat em bodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the mat taken on line22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of a portion of the mat;

Fig. i is a detail of one of the edge tread devices, certain parts beingbroken away to disclose structure beyond the same;

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the leather pieces used in the formation ofone of the blocks or links; 1

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pivoted tread members; and TFig. 7 is a perspective view of the attaching element to which the treadmember is pivoted.

Referring to the drawing, the mat shown registering holes in the blocks.

therein asone good form of the invention,v

comprises an assembly of links or'blocks 1 which may be formed ofleather or other appropriate material. In the present instance, theseblocks have a laminated character. and each comprises four leatherpieces 3 (Fig. 5) which may be conveniently'died out of sole leather. Itwill be understood that the number of these layers or pieces may bevaried as desired.

Suitable means may be provided for se-:

curing the links or 'blocks in assembled relation. This means.,in thepresent instance of the invention, comprises rods or strong wires 5which are entered through may be bent to present loops 7 atone edge ofthe mat, and the terminals 9 ot the rods maybe turned inward and securedby split sleeves 11. The blocks may be so assembled and strung on therods so as to present a checkerwork appearance. The spaces betweenblocks at opposite ends of the mat may be filled by smaller blocks 13which are also strung on the rods.

These rods- The thickness of thematiis such that.v

to prevent pedestrians from kicking orstriking these edges of the mat.This means, in the present instance of the in vention, comprises rows orseries of tread devices which may extend along opposed ends of the mat.i

Each of thesedevices may include an attaching element which maybe'conveniently died out of sheet material, and present a tongue 15(Figs. 2, 4t and 7) adapted to be inserted between the loops of the rodsand the blocks adjacent, thereto. may have spurs'17 which may be bentoutwardand have interlocking engagement with sides of the loops of therods, the construc- The tongue I tion being such that the tongue may besecurely connected to the edge of the mat.

Projecting from the tongue isa reverse bend 19 carrying a body- 21formed to prelugs 23 is'a stop convenientlv in the form of a tab 25which may be bent downward somewhat from the plane of the body, as willbe noted in Figs. 2 and 7. The angle of this tab may be varied bybending the same with respect to the body as desired.

A tread member 27 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) may be conveniently died out ofsheet material, and present an inclined tread surface 29 which may bestrengthened-or stiffened by end wings 31.

Eyes 33 may be formed in these wings, and'be adapted to receive thehinge lugs 23 referred to. Preferably these eyes are offset asubstantial distance from the upper edge of the tread member, .So thatthe upper marginal portion of the tread surface of said member mayoverlap the body 21 of the attaching element, substantially as shown inFig. 2.

The construction is such that the tread members are so pivotallyconnected to the attaching elements, that the tread members may rock orgravitate downward on the pivotal lugs 23. so that the lower edges ofthe tread members will rest upon and be supported by the floor, as willbe noted in F ig. 2.

These tread members, therefore, will always incline from the floorupward toward and substantially to the level of the upper surface of themat,so that when a person is approaching th mat, ifhis foot is notlifted a suificient height to clear the edge of the mat, it will strikeagainst the inclined tread member or members, and be deflected therebyupward to the surface of the mat. As a consequence, it is impossible forthe pedestrian to bring his foot into suchcontact with the mat as willbe liable to cause the marginal portion thereof to bend or curl upward.I

It is desirable to provide means to limit downward rocking movement ofthe inclined tread members, so that when the mat is laced on the floor,they cannot turn inward or under to positions in which they would beinoperative for the purposes described. The stop tabs 25 referred to,lend themselves advantageously for this purpose, and may be adjusted tolimit the downward rocking of the tread'members as required.

The upwardrocking movementof the inclined tread members may also belimited, and this is accomplished, in the present instance, byengagement of the upper marginal portions of the tread. memberswith thebodies of the attachingelements.

If for any reason themarginal portion of the mat shouldbecomebent orcurled upwardto a position, such, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, theinclined pivoted tread members will rock downward, so that their loweredges will remain in engagement with the floor. As a result, these loweredges will never be spaced from the floor, and it will be impossible forthe foot of the pedestrian to catch underneath the inclined treadmembers and kick up the margin of the 'mat. When the pedestrian steps onthe margin of the mat, his weight will tend to restore the mat to itsfiat condition, and therefore, in use, the tendency is always tomaintain the mat in flat instead of distorted condition.

After the mat has been in use, it may be desirable to reverse the same,thereby making it necessary to reverse the inclined tread devices whichmay be readily removed by bending the spurs 17 of the attaching elementsinward. Then the tread devices may be reversed and secured as before.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedisz l. A mat comprisinga checkerwork formed of blocks,rods inserted through said blocks inclined tread members pivotallyconnected to said attaching elements and adapted freely to rock downrelatively to said-attaching elements until the inclined tread membersengage the surface on which the mat is placed.

3. A mat comprising a checkerwork formed of leather blocks. wire linkshaving legs inserted through the leather blocks to hold them inassembled relation," attaching elements having tongues embraced andheldby ends of said links at an edge of the mat, and inclined tread memberspivotally connected to said attaching elements and adapted freely torock down relatively to said attaching elements until the inclined treadmembers engage the surface on which the mat is placed, said attachingelements and inclined tread members having parts arranged for engagementto limit downward rocking movement of the inclined members when themarginal portion of the mat to which the inclined members are attachedis raised a predetermined distance from the ARTHUR- HAYDEN. Y

